Praying the Psalms: Mon, 12 Nov – Psalm 116 ~ I Love the Lord, for he has saved me!

Praying the Psalms

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

One thing I have asked of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to behold the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.

Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory.
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Morning Reading: Psalm 116 (NLT)

I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath! Death wrapped its ropes around me; the terrors of the grave overtook me. I saw only trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Please, Lord, save me!”

How kind the Lord is! How good he is! So merciful, this God of ours! The Lord protects those of childlike faith; I was facing death, and he saved me. Let my soul be at rest again, for the Lord has been good to me.

He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. And so I walk in the Lord’s presence as I live here on earth!

I believed in you, so I said, “I am deeply troubled, Lord.” In my anxiety I cried out to you, “These people are all liars!”

What can I offer the Lord for all he has done for me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and praise the Lord’s name for saving me. I will keep my promises to the Lord in the presence of all his people.

The Lord cares deeply when his loved ones die. O Lord, I am your servant; yes, I am your servant, born into your household; you have freed me from my chains. I will offer you a sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord. I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people—in the house of the Lord in the heart of Jerusalem. Praise the Lord!
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Morning Prayer

O Lord our God: You have saved us from death through the willing sacrifice of your Son, Jesus Christ –

+ when our lives were hanging in the balance, he saved us…
+ when our sins resulted in guilt and shame, he saved us…
+ when our troubles threatened to overwhelm us, he saved us…

O Lord our God: You have saved us from death through the willing sacrifice of your Son, Jesus Christ –

+ we love you, for he answered our cries for help…
+ we love you, for he showed us mercy and loving-kindness…

O Lord our God: You have saved us from death through the willing sacrifice of your Son, Jesus Christ –

+ increase in us, our love for him
+ increase in us, our obedience to him…
+ increase in us, our rest in him…

O Lord our God: You have saved us from death through the willing sacrifice of your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.
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“Psalm 116” (I love the Lord) – Sons of Korah

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Blessing – (Northumbrian Community)

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you. May He guide you through the wilderness, and protect you through the storm. May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you. May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
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+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost – 11 Nov – Mark 12:38-44 – On sacrificial giving

Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Opening Prayer

God, our provider, you are the orphan’s hope and the widow’s bread. Strengthen our faith, that with simplicity of heart we may come to trust in you alone and hold back nothing in serving you. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.
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“All the Poor and Powerless” – All Sons & Daughters

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Gospel Reading: Mark 12:38-44 (NLT)

Jesus also taught: “Beware of these teachers of religious law! For they like to parade around in flowing robes and receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces. And how they love the seats of honor in the synagogues and the head table at banquets. Yet they shamelessly cheat widows out of their property and then pretend to be pious by making long prayers in public. Because of this, they will be more severely punished.”

Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins.

Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”
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Prayers of Intercession:

Gracious God, you raise up those who are bowed down: hear our prayers for help and mercy for all who are troubled and weighed down –

+ For all Christian leaders, that their faith may be lived with integrity and sincerity….
+ For all Christians, that we may show kindness and generosity to the poor and needy…
+ For our President, that you may bless him, protect him, and give him wisdom and sound judgement…
+ For all government officials, that partisanship may be abandoned for the common good…
+ For all vulnerable people, that they may be protected and delivered from evil-doers…
+ For ourselves, that we may be open to understanding those who are different from us…
+ For all who have died in Christ, particularly those who have lost their lives through war or violence, that they may rest in eternal peace and joy…

Gracious God, you support us in times of joy and sorrow: help us today in all our needs, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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“I lift Up My Hands” – Israel & New Breed

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Blessing – Ephesians 3:20-21

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Praying the Psalms: Sat, 10 Nov – Psalm 115 ~ Not to us, O Lord!

Praying the Psalms

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Opening – (Northumbria Community)

One thing I have asked of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to behold the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.

Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory.
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Morning Reading: Psalm 115 (NLT)

Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness. Why let the nations say, “Where is their God?” Our God is in the heavens, and he does as he wishes.

Their idols are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands.
They have mouths but cannot speak, and eyes but cannot see.
They have ears but cannot hear, and noses but cannot smell.
They have hands but cannot feel, and feet but cannot walk, and throats but cannot make a sound.
And those who make idols are just like them, as are all who trust in them.

O Israel, trust the Lord! He is your helper and your shield. O priests, descendants of Aaron, trust the Lord! He is your helper and your shield. All you who fear the Lord, trust the Lord! He is your helper and your shield.

The Lord remembers us and will bless us. He will bless the people of Israel and bless the priests, the descendants of Aaron. He will bless those who fear the Lord, both great and lowly.

May the Lord richly bless both you and your children. May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth. The heavens belong to the Lord, but he has given the earth to all humanity. The dead cannot sing praises to the Lord, for they have gone into the silence of the grave. But we can praise the Lord both now and forever!

Praise the Lord!
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Morning Prayer

O Lord our God: Not to us, but to you belong all glory and praise –

+ for we have not loved you wholeheartedly…
+ for we have not loved others as ourselves…
+ for we have been silenced by the scorn of unbelievers…
+ for we have not embraced your sovereign will for our lives…
+ for we have allowed false gods to dominate public discourse…

O Lord our God: Not to us, but to you belong all glory and praise –

+ strengthen our resolve to trust you in all things…
+ renew our assurance of your grace and goodness…
+ deepen our awareness of your indwelling Spirit in our hearts…
+ consecrate our efforts to share the Good News of your Son, Jesus Christ…

O Lord our God: Not to us, but to you belong all glory and praise. Let us be a bright light to all the nations of the earth through faith and trust in your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives with you in unity with the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.
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“Psalm 115” – Не Нам (Not to us) – Sofia (Bulgaria) Gospel Choir in Gospel Kirchentag 2018

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Blessing – (Northumbrian Community)

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Praying the Psalms: Fri, 09 Nov – Psalm 114 ~ Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord!

Praying the Psalms

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Opening – (Northumbria Community)

One thing I have asked of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to behold the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.

Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory.
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Morning Reading: Psalm 114 (NLT)

When the Israelites escaped from Egypt—when the family of Jacob left that foreign land—the land of Judah became God’s sanctuary, and Israel became his kingdom.

The Red Sea saw them coming and hurried out of their way! The water of the Jordan River turned away. The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs! What’s wrong, Red Sea, that made you hurry out of their way? What happened, Jordan River, that you turned away? Why, mountains, did you skip like rams? Why, hills, like lambs?

Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob. He turned the rock into a pool of water; yes, a spring of water flowed from solid rock.

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Morning Prayer

O Lord our God: You delivered Israel from the bondage of Egypt, by the blood of lambs; and you deliver our souls today from the bondage of sin and death, by the blood of your Son, Jesus Christ –

+ set us free from the complacency of prosperity and easy living…
+ set us free from the illusion of belonging in kingdoms of this world…
+ be enthroned in our hearts that we may worship in spirit and truth…
+ be enthroned in our hearts that we may follow wherever you lead…
+ be enthroned in our hearts that we may believe you for the impossible…

O Lord our God: You delivered Israel from the bondage of Egypt, by the blood of lambs; and you deliver our souls today from the bondage of sin and death, by the blood of your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives with you in unity with the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen.
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“Psalm 114: B’tseth Israel” – SAVAE (San Antonio Vocal Arts Ensemble)

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Blessing – (Northumbrian Community)

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Praying the Psalms: Thu, 08 Nov – Psalm 113 ~ Blessed be the name of the Lord!

Praying the Psalms

+ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Opening – (Northumbria Community)

One thing I have asked of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to behold the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.

Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory.
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Morning Reading: Psalm 113 (NLT)

Praise the Lord!

Yes, give praise, O servants of the Lord. Praise the name of the Lord! Blessed be the name of the Lord now and forever. Everywhere—from east to west—praise the name of the Lord. For the Lord is high above the nations; his glory is higher than the heavens.

Who can be compared with the Lord our God, who is enthroned on high?

He stoops to look down on heaven and on earth.
He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump.
He sets them among princes, even the princes of his own people!
He gives the childless woman a family, making her a happy mother.

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Morning Prayer

O Lord our God: Blessed be your Name, now and forever –

+ in you all creation is held together…
+ in you we live and move and have our being…
+ in you we have meaning and purpose…
+ in you we live full, satisfying lives…

O Lord our God: Blessed be your Name, now and forever –

+ for you sent your Son, Jesus Christ, to live among us…
+ for you forgave our sins and restored our souls…
+ for you made us children of light, in a world of darkness…
+ for your Spirit works in us to seek and save the lost…

O Lord our God: Blessed be your Name, now and forever; and blessed be the Name of your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you in unity with the Holy Spirit, one incomparable God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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“Psalm 113” – Israel, We Stand With You